Baby lemur welcomed at Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo
Posted May 11, 2023 6:41 pm.
Last Updated May 11, 2023 6:43 pm.
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo welcomed a wee-baby lemur, but not the ring-tailed kind.
The baby black-and-white ruffed lemur was born on April 7 and is the first one to be born at the zoo since 1987. The little one has not been named yet, because even at a month old, the zoo doesn’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet.
“At just over one month old, the pup — whose sex has not yet been confirmed — appears bright-eyed, active, and is moving around more each day,” the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo said in a statement.
“Eny is displaying all the appropriate lemur mom behaviours as she spends time bonding with the zoo’s newest addition.”
Black-and-white ruffed lemur pup and mom, Eny on May 9, 2023. (Courtesy Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo)
The pup is the first successful baby born to mom Eny and dad Menabe. It was a recommended match in the Species Survival Plan (SSP).
The zoo joined the SSP to maximize the population’s genetic diversity in human care, appropriately manage the demographic distribution, and support the long-term sustainability of a species at risk.
“When Menabe arrived here in 2017, the hunt for a suitable female began,” said Colleen Baird, interim associate director of animal care and welfare.
“But because the zoo-managed North American population of black-and-white ruffed lemurs was fairly small with decreasing genetic diversity, we needed to broaden our search to infuse new genetics into the population.”
She says the mission to find Menabe a mate led them to an accredited zoo in the Czech Republic, where Eny was residing.
The zoo says after Eny arrived in Calgary in 2021, the pair have since “proven they are a good match.”
“The successful birth of this newest addition is especially exciting and important for Eny and Menabe’s species,” said Dr. Typhenn Brichieri-Colombi, a zoo conservation research and strategy advisor.
“With black-and-white ruffed lemurs being critically endangered in the wild, this pup already plays an important role in the survival and well-being of its species.”
Black-and-white ruffed lemur pup on May 9, 2023. (Courtesy Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo)
Black-and-white ruffed lemurs originate from the island of Madagascar, like all lemurs. There are fewer than 10,000 individuals estimated in their native range on the island.
In addition, 98 per cent of lemurs in Madagascar are endangered, with over 30 per cent facing the threat of “imminent extinction.”
The black-and-white ruffed lemur is listed among the 25 most endangered primates in the world due largely to habitat loss and hunting.
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo says it has worked to protect lemurs since 2017.
The zoo collaborates with the University of Calgary and the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership, and it engages local communities in reforestation activities and planting habitats for lemurs, all while improving local livelihoods.
You won’t be able to see the threesome for a little while yet, because they need more time for bonding.
But you can check out the other characters at the Land of the Lemurs when they reopen the outdoor walk-through May 19.
-With files from Kelly Turner
